<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Freedom in Chains by MCJD931</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22948603">Freedom in Chains</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCJD931/pseuds/MCJD931'>MCJD931</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:07:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>406</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22948603</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCJD931/pseuds/MCJD931</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto comes back to apologize to Ren for leaving him during Christmas Eve, only to find he isn't there.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Freedom in Chains</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi! This is my first one-shot.</p><p>I'm in a shumako writing mood, and this idea - well, what it was based on - was suggested by a fellow member of the Shumako discord. </p><p>If you have any ideas, please suggest them and I'll see about writing them!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Makoto Niijima felt guilty.</p><p>She ditched her boyfriend, Ren Amamiya, on Christmas Eve. He <em>was </em>hiding something from her, she knew, but that was no excuse for practically storming out as she did.</p><p>She pushed open Leblanc's door.</p><p>Sojiro was standing there in a foul mood, and Futaba... was crying.</p><p>"What's going on? Where's Ren?"</p><p>Futaba could barely speak through her tears. "He's..."</p><p>Sojiro spoke with uncharacteristic anger. "In jail."</p><p>"What?!" Makoto was smart. As soon as she heard that, the pieces started to tumble together, but she refused the picture they were forming. She wouldn't have it.</p><p>Sojiro shook his head. "Your sister came to pick him up. When she did, Ren told us what was going on. He said that prosecuting Shido would need witnesses... and one of you would need to be that witness. But the police wouldn't let a Phantom Thief go so easily..."</p><p>Comprehension dawned on her. He took the hit for the rest of them.</p><p>She took her phone out and made a call to her sister. She had to confirm this. </p><p>The moment Sae picked up, she said: "Sis, what happened to Ren."</p><p>Sae sighed, but she knew this was coming.</p><p>"After they interrogated him, they took arrested him. They said his Phantom Thief activity violated his probation."</p><p>"That's insane! He wasn't even convicted justly, nor does Phantom Thievery warrant being arrested, in fact, he should be getting a medal for saving the world!"</p><p>"I know, but most don't. They knew that and took advantage of it."</p><p>Makoto hung up. She slumped into one of the seats of the cafe, defeated.</p><p>"Oh, and he left this note for you." Sojiro slipped came out from behind the counter, and gave her the note. He returned to the counter, and turned on the TV to the news.</p><p>
  <em>Makoto,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>If you are reading this, you just figured out I took the hit for all you. I know you're mad that I kept this from you, but I didn't want to worry you. But I failed at that, too, huh?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Please, go on without me. Make the most of your lives out in the free public, in the society we fought so hard to reform.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That will give me Freedom in Chains.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Love, Your Study </em>
  <em>Partner</em>
</p><p>The News picked up on news regarding Shido, as a tear rolled down her face.</p><p>
  <em>"The Public Prosecutors Office finally decided to break it's long standing silence..."</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>